1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to methods and apparatus for peripheral input devices designed for computers and video game consoles.
2. Description of Related Art
There are a large variety of peripheral computer and game console input devices. They range from typical mouse/keyboard setups to hand held game pads, joysticks, d-pads, and track ball devices, along with a number of other such devices.
With the emergence of computer and console video games, however, there are a number of inherent limitation in regard to the video game controllers themselves and their related input components. These limitations range from functionality and adaptability, to general ergonomics. For instance, a typical flight controller yoke, which generally comprises a hand operated joystick with a plurality of analog and/or digital buttons, functions well in a video gaming environment that require slow steady directional changes or similar aiming functions. By nature of its construction the base element of the flight yoke sits atop a fixed working surface. This provides an optimum leverage point. What is more the hand operated joystick component of the device requires the participation of the entire limb of the user for manipulation during operation within the gaming environment. The accompanying electronics further dampen the degree of sensitivity so as not to produce extreme or erratic motion. This makes for a very precise method of operation in its particular field of application within the video gaming environment. This device, however, by nature of its construction cannot provide quick reflex aiming such as that which is possible with a mouse input device, and therefore is limited to slower steadier applications.
The computer mouse and keyboard combination, on the other hand, provides excellent quick reflex aiming. This is due to the inherent nature of the method of operation associated with the computer mouse. By gliding over a fixed surface and using the entire limb of the user to manipulate it within the video gaming environment the computer mouse makes for a very precise method of operation. There is no separation between the motion of the user's hand and the corresponding movement of the cursor or pointing reticle within the gaming environment. The accompanying electronics further allow for a higher degree of sensitivity which results in very quick reflex aiming ability. It is noteworthy to mention that the keyboard is generally a poor choice as a video gaming input device because it lacks the quick reflex, finger tip functionality such as that found on video game pads for instance. This is due to the scattered layout of those buttons designated as active for any particular game. However, currently the keyboard is the principle device that works in conjunction with the computer mouse. What is more the computer mouse by nature of it construction cannot provide slower steadier aiming such as that which is possible with a flight yoke/joystick and therefore is limited to quick reflex aiming applications.
Another popular input device is the handheld game pad. These controllers have integrated a number of input components into a single body. They typically contain a digital 8-way directional pad, one or more thumb operated analog joysticks and a plurality of digital and/or analog buttons. The game pad offers excellent finger tip functionality in regard to a plurality of analog and/or digital buttons laid out in a very user friendly and accessible fashion on the surface of a hand held gaming controller. However it lacks the slow steady aiming abilities of the hand operated joysticks, primarily due to the fact that the thumb operated joysticks on a typical game pad are too responsive and lack the control of an entirely hand operated joystick. Moreover, the game pad also lacks the quick reflex aiming ability associated with the mouse because the analog joysticks typically provided are not responsive enough and again fail to use the entire hand of the operator while being used in the gaming environment.
In this regard while all of these input devices have their strengths, in particular applications they also have inherent weaknesses in regard to functionality in certain computer gaming environments and thus are a compromise to the overall skill level possible by the user within the said video gaming environments.
The second area of the limitations inherent to these devices comes as a result of the fact that there are a wide variety of video games on the market. These games range from Role Playing Games, Strategy Games, Flight Simulation Games, Other Simulation-type Games, First and third Person shooting games, Action Games, Adventure Games, Puzzle solving games, etc. These games are played in both two dimensional as well as three dimensional computer generated environments. With such a wide variety of games the difficulty comes in finding a single device or controller system that plays all these games well without compromising associated functionality. In this regard the current input devices lack adaptability.
For instance, a flight yoke controller is typically used to play Flight Simulation video games. This type of controller, while very effective for manipulation within a flight simulation video gaming environment, fails to meet the highest standards of manipulation requirements of, for example, an action/adventure video game or a First Person Shooter video game. Another example would be a standard mouse/keyboard input combination. First Person Shooter video games played on personal computers are typically played with the standard mouse and key board setup. This system, while adequate for first person shooter video games, doesn't represent the best controller solution for flight simulation video games.
As a final example there is the hand held game pad device. These devices, perhaps the most versatile of input gaming devices, still have inherent limitations in there adaptability. They are typically well-adapted to play action/adventure video games. They can even be adapted to play Role Playing Games, First person Shooter Games, even Flight Simulation and other Simulation type games. However they fail to allow the user to play such video games with the highest degree of skill level possible primarily because the components of the hand operated game pad are tailored for general purpose use and not specific applications like the mouse/keyboard or the dedicated flight yoke/joystick. While being the most adaptable of video game controllers hand held game pads also compromise on functionality to a greater or lesser degree.
In this respect all these devices have failed to be completely versatile in terms of adapting to the widest variety of video games on the market or to meet the absolute highest standards as to the degree of skill possible in their use.
Finally in regard to ergonomics these devices fail to meet the variety of needs associated with the video gaming public. Firstly there has been much documentation regarding the stresses and fatigue placed upon computer users who play games with mouse input devices on a regular basis. Carpal tunnel syndrome and related health risks are often symptomatic. Stress to the joints and ligaments and tendons of the shoulder, arm, forearm, hands and wrists are common. As a result there is a definite need for improved ergonomics in relationship to a device which has a computer mousing element. The distance and separation of the mouse from the keyboard is a major part of the problem. The transference of motion back and forth has been determined to be a root cause of the aforementioned problems. A second problem with current mouse functionality is the fact that most mouse devices work on the basis of one handed operation. The load is therefore placed on a single limb. And a final problem with current mouse functionality is the prone posture of the hand. The hand is laid flat, often without appropriate support to the hand, wrist, and limb. As a consequence these members are subjected further to the aforementioned stresses. There have been a number of attempts at improving the ergonomic form function of the mouse but they have not sufficiently addressed all these problems.
Another logistic limitation in all these devices is that their design requires a fixed method of use. For instance, the mouse functions only on a stable flat working surface. The hand operated joystick is also limited to use on a stable flat working surface. At times this may be the preferred method of operation but at other times this method of use may not serve the preferences or needs of the user. The hand held game pad on the other hand is strictly a hand supported device. It works in positions remote from a stable flat working surface. Again this may be the preferred method of use but at other times this may not serve the needs or preferences of the user or the demands of the game being played.
While these limited methods of operation at times improve the overall functionality of the input devices in question, on occasions when such functionality would not be required they limit the options of the user to operate the gaming controller device either on a fixed working surface or in a hand supported position remote from a fixed working surface. There is also an economic limitation to the use of distinct and separate game controllers. The need to have a multitude of input devices to play all existing computer and console video games can become financially burdensome to the consumer. And requiring the game-playing user to change game controllers and readjust and become reacquainted with different controllers diminishes playing skills until the player can act and react without having to think about the controller being used.